Tour Operators Look for Partners During Spring Meet

March 28, 2003

Tour Operators Look for Partners During Spring Meet
More than 130 NTA tour operators gathered today in Victoria, British Columbia, for the Tour Operator Partnering Session, a Tour Operator Spring Meet event designed to help participants build business relationships with their colleagues.

Peter Askin with Southern World Group, which operates in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, participated as a first time seller during the Partnering Session. "The Partnering Session is a great way to gain some recognition," Askin said. "We are the only Australia, New Zealand and Fiji partner here, and in NTA, so this is a good opportunity, especially with the South Pacific being the flavor of the month right now."

The Partnering Session meant different things to participating tour operators. For some, it was a venue that allowed them to meet and share ideas with fellow tour operators about how they could work together in non-traditional ways. For others, the event served as a great marketplace that allowed participating tour operators to buy and sell without the time constraints of Annual Convention’s Tour & Travel Exchange.

"We are a receptive and only sell to tour operators, so this is absolutely our marketplace," said Marian DiPietro of Tourco Inc. in Hyannis, Mass. "The Partnering Session gives us an opportunity to talk to our customers about new products and to brainstorm tour ideas for their clientele."

Given the current world situation and its effect on travel, many participating tour operators felt that working together will be the key to survival, making events such as the Tour Operator Partnering Session absolutely vital for future business success.

Click here to view full coverage of the 2003 Tour Operator Spring Meet.